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How to get permanent marker out of clothes

To get a permanent marker stain out of clothes, don't wash it first: put paper towels under the mark and dab 70% rubbing alcohol onto the back until no more ink transfers, then rinse, rub in detergent and wash. Permanent marker ink is made to resist water, but its colorant redissolves in alcohol, so alcohol can carry it out of the fabric and into the towel.

Best method
70% rubbing alcohol blotted through the back, then wash
Time
20 to 40 minutes plus a wash
Difficulty
Moderate
Stain type
Dye

You will need

  • 70% rubbing alcohol
  • Cotton balls
  • A thick stack of paper towels
  • Liquid laundry detergent
  • Oxygen bleach, for leftover color

How to remove permanent marker from clothes

  1. 1

    Keep it out of the washer

    Leave the garment dry and untreated until you're ready to work on it. Don't rinse it under the tap and don't toss it in with the laundry.

    Why: Water doesn't dissolve permanent ink, and the University of Kentucky and Texas A&M both note that laundering can set some inks.

  2. 2

    Test the alcohol on a seam

    Dab rubbing alcohol on an inside seam, wait a few minutes and press a white towel on it. If dye comes off, switch to an ink-and-stain spot remover and follow its label.

    Why: The same solvent that dissolves marker ink can dissolve some fabric dyes.

  3. 3

    Set the mark face down on paper towels

    Put a thick pad of paper towels on a table and lay the stain face down on it, back of the fabric up.

    Why: Ink loosened from the back is pushed straight out into the towel instead of spreading through the garment.

  4. 4

    Dab alcohol onto the back

    Press a cotton ball soaked in 70% rubbing alcohol onto the back of the mark. Dab, don't rub. Ink should start appearing on the towel underneath.

    Why: Permanent marker ink is dye or pigment left behind when an alcohol-type solvent evaporates, so fresh alcohol redissolves the colorant.

  5. 5

    Move to clean towel and repeat

    Each time the towel under the mark picks up color, shift to a clean area and dab again. Keep going until no more ink transfers. Expect this to take many rounds on a dark or thick mark.

    Why: An inked towel will put color back into the fabric, so fresh towel is what actually pulls ink out.

  6. 6

    Rinse, detergent, wash, air-dry

    Rinse out the alcohol, rub liquid detergent into the spot and wash per the care label. Air-dry and check. If a faint shadow remains, soak in oxygen bleach and wash again.

    Why: Washing removes the alcohol and loosened ink. Any dye still bound to the fibers needs bleach, and the dryer would set it.

What makes permanent marker permanent

Permanent marker ink is a dye or pigment dissolved in a fast-evaporating solvent, today usually alcohols such as propanol and butanol. On fabric, the solvent flashes off within seconds and leaves water-resistant color wrapped around the fibers. That's why soap and water barely touch it, and why "fresh" for marker really means "not yet washed and dried" rather than "still wet."

Because the carrier was an alcohol, alcohol is the standard home remover, recommended by Iowa State Extension and the American Cleaning Institute. Kentucky Extension is frank that permanent felt-tip ink may not come out completely, so the goal is to lift as much as possible before any wash. Unlike ballpoint pen ink, there's no oily paste to break up, just color to dissolve and blot away.

By situation

Permanent marker on jeans

Denim is thick, so use extra towel layers and press firmly with the cotton ball to push alcohol all the way through. Test inside a hem first: alcohol can lighten dark denim dyes, leaving a pale spot that's more visible than a faint marker line.

It's already been washed and dried

Use the same alcohol blotting method, several times if needed. Each round may lighten the mark, but washing and drying can set some of the ink, so complete removal isn't guaranteed.

White clothes

After the alcohol, a chlorine bleach soak (if the label allows it) or a color remover can clear leftover dye on white cotton.

Colored clothes

Test the alcohol first and use oxygen bleach only for any leftover tint. If the fabric's own dye starts to move, stop and accept a faint mark rather than a bleached patch.

Acetate, acrylic, silk and dry-clean-only items

On acetate, triacetate and acrylic, dilute the alcohol with two parts water to one part alcohol and test. Take silk, wool, satin and dry-clean-only garments to a cleaner and tell them it's permanent marker.

Laundry labels and name tags that bled

Marker on a label that has smudged onto the fabric around it responds to the same method. Work only on the smudge, keeping alcohol off the label if you want to keep the name.

What not to do

  • Don't wash the garment before treating it. Laundering can set permanent ink.
  • Don't scrub with a wet cloth. Water doesn't dissolve permanent ink, and rubbing only spreads it.
  • Don't use acetone on acetate, triacetate or modacrylic. Acetone dissolves these fibers and can leave a hole.
  • Don't dry the item until the mark is gone. Dryer heat sets whatever ink is left.

Other methods that work

Ink and stain spot remover

Iowa State Extension lists a commercial ink and stain spot remover as an alternative to alcohol. Use it as the label directs, then wash.

Caution: Test on a seam, and don't leave it on longer than the label says.

Hand sanitizer gel

Alcohol-based sanitizer is a common on-the-go suggestion because it contains alcohol. There's no extension source for it, so treat it as traditional, with weak evidence.

Caution: Thickeners and fragrance can leave residue. Plain rubbing alcohol works more cleanly.

Hairspray

An old trick from when hairsprays contained more alcohol. Traditional, with weak evidence.

Caution: Modern formulas add resins that leave a sticky film.

Stain still there?

The mark spread into a blurry halo

Dissolved ink moved sideways. Keep blotting from the back over fresh towels, working from the edge of the halo inward.

No ink comes off at all

Make sure the alcohol is at least 70% and that you're pressing it through from the back. Some inks, especially after a wash and dry, won't respond.

A faint gray outline remains after washing

Soak in oxygen bleach for several hours, or use chlorine bleach on white cotton that allows it, then wash again.

Safety

  • Rubbing alcohol is flammable. Work in a ventilated room, away from flames.
  • Rinse out alcohol before using any bleach.

Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.

Questions

Can you get permanent marker out of clothes?

Often partly or completely, if you treat it before washing. Blot 70% rubbing alcohol through the back into paper towels, then rinse and wash. Some permanent inks won't fully come out.

How do you get permanent marker out of clothes after washing and drying?

Use the same rubbing alcohol method, repeating it several times. Washing and drying can set some of the ink, so it may only lighten.

Does hand sanitizer remove permanent marker from fabric?

It can help because it contains alcohol, but it's not a sourced method and can leave residue. Plain 70% rubbing alcohol is the recommended choice.

Will permanent marker come out of jeans?

It often lightens a lot with rubbing alcohol. Test inside a hem first, because alcohol can also lift denim dye.

Permanent marker on other surfaces

Other stains on clothes

Sources

  1. Quick and Easy Stain Removal for Clothing (HS 305, May 2026), Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
  2. Stain Removal Guide, American Cleaning Institute
  3. Stain Removal for Washable Fabrics (HE 2-840), University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
  4. Quick Stain Removal Guide (L-5199), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
  5. Marker pen, Wikipedia

Last updated . Methods are drawn from the sources above; how we research and check our guides.